TOMS RIVER - The Howell cop accused of luring a teen for sex was released from jail on home detention and ordered to get a mental health evaluation, according to an order from Ocean County Superior Court Judge Rochelle Gizinski.

Sgt. Richard Conte, 47, was charged on Sept. 6 with second-degree attempting to lure a child after communicating with an undercover officer he believed to be a 15-year-old girl he was planning to meet for sex. The case is being prosecuted by the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice, an arm of the state attorney general's office.

Conte is only allowed to leave his home, which records show is in Howell, for pre-trial services, appointments, meetings with his attorneys, court appearances and doctor's appointments, said Peter Aseltine, a spokesman with the attorney general's office. He's prohibited from using the internet and is not allowed to have unsupervised contact with minors.

Buy Photo

Howell Police officer and South Wall Fire Chief Richard Conte spent 10 days fighting fires in Wyoming and South Dakota in August 2003.(Photo: File photo)

Conte is also required to forfeit his weapons, undergo a psychological assessment and attend counseling if it's recommended, Aseltine said.

The conditions of Conte's release require him to make both phone and in-person contact with authorities once per week.

Howell Police Chief Andrew Kudrick suspended Conte without pay following his arrest. According to DataUniverse records, Conte's salary is $139,006.

Buy Photo

In September 2004, Howell Police Detective Richard Conte shows Trevor Soto, 6, and Zach Lussier, 10, some of the equipment his team uses for emergencies at Howell Day held in Oak Glen Park.(Photo: File photo)

Conte has been working as a Howell police officer since at least 1997, and also previously served as the volunteer fire chief at the South Wall Fire Department.

Conte's attorney, Barry J. Serebnick of the firm Helmer, Conley and Kasselman, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Keep checking app.com for the latest in the case against Howell Police Sgt. Richard Conte.